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In reply to the discussion: Making You "Comfortable" with Spying Is Obama's Big NSA Fix [View all]Divernan
(15,480 posts)42. "Imprecision" is Obama-speak for lie.
In his remarks, Obama said the White House was having to respond to a "changed environment" where disclosures being released "drip by drip, you know, one a week, to kind of maximise attention, and see if they can catch us on some imprecision on something".
Democratic senator Ron Wyden, a leading critic of the NSA's bulk surveillance powers in the Senate, welcomed Obama's proposals, but called for greater detail. "Notably absent from President Obama's speech was any mention of closing the backdoor searches loophole that potentially allows for the warrantless searches of Americans' phone calls and emails under section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act," Wyden said.
The senator was referring to a disclosure in the Guardian based on a top-secret document which indicates the NSA has a secret backdoor into its databases under a legal authority enabling it to search for US citizens' email and phone calls without a warrant.
The document, published on Friday three hours before Obama's announcement, contrasts with assurances that president and senior intelligence officials have previously given that the privacy of US citizens is protected from dragnet surveillance programs targeted at foreigners. "I believe that this provision requires significant reforms as well and I will continue to fight to close that loophole," Wyden said.
I found Obama's use of the term "imprecision" to be particularly offensive. Obama is a combination of what the Brits would call a slyboots and an artful dodger:
Slyboots (noun - UK old-fashioned informal)
Definition: a person who avoids showing or telling other people what he or she is thinking or intending.
The nickname "Artful Dodger" is still commonly used to refer to someone who is good at avoiding responsibility or the consequences of his or her actions.
Prior to creating the character, the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist, Dickens had first used a similar term in his previous novel, The Pickwick Papers. At the close of Chapter 16, Sam Weller refers to the recent schemes of Mr. Jingle: "Reg'lar do, sir; artful dodge."
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/09/obama-nsa-surveillance-reforms-press-conference#start-of-comments
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Yes, that is what this was about, imo. They realized they had not succeeded in tamping
sabrina 1
Aug 2013
#78
The phony "terra alert" at the embassies stopped momentum, changed the conversation, & bought time
chimpymustgo
Aug 2013
#91
He obviously has no choice in the matter. Those pulling his strings are calling the shots,
NorthCarolina
Aug 2013
#4
"Globally, roughly 99 percent of the world's communications travel over undersea fiber-optic cables"
whttevrr
Aug 2013
#53
1.6% of something wrong is still wrong! Besides, that's how it starts now, 10 years from now it
Dustlawyer
Aug 2013
#90
Where is this "More transparency, less secrecy" ? Only talking points currently, and small changes
Civilization2
Aug 2013
#89
References To The EFF - Would Not Have Happened Without Snowden's Leaks - This Made My day
cantbeserious
Aug 2013
#20
Some No Longer Trust His Words - His Transparency Is Opaque Doublespeak To Protect Illegal Acts
cantbeserious
Aug 2013
#13
The question, Mr. President, is how to make gov't responsive to the American people again!
Coyotl
Aug 2013
#14
We're never going to get comfortable with giving away our Constitutional rights.
Waiting For Everyman
Aug 2013
#18
Crimes against the American people and violations to the Constitution have NO business
AppleBottom
Aug 2013
#49
I think you are too quick to give him credit for something he should have done 5 years ago.
rhett o rick
Aug 2013
#75
"The question is, how do I make the American people more comfortable?" Obama said.
blackspade
Aug 2013
#34
Oddly if he supported legalized marijuana, we might be more comfortable. nm
rhett o rick
Aug 2013
#76
And just what's so bad about feeling good? This approach has always been used for war
Douglas Carpenter
Aug 2013
#62
par for the course: if McCain tied up the American people with a bow and delivered them to Big
MisterP
Aug 2013
#68
The President either embraces the authoritarian spying on Americans or he has been
rhett o rick
Aug 2013
#73
Now imagine a repuke POTUS in control of the NSA. Does the idea of that upset you?
L0oniX
Aug 2013
#79
I guess most of us are OK with some spying but are against mass surveillance.
limpyhobbler
Aug 2013
#93
Why shouldn't they be destroyed? Why should the government collect Verizon customers' phone logs?
limpyhobbler
Aug 2013
#99
or they could use them to bust weed dealers and disrupt political protests
limpyhobbler
Aug 2013
#103
And if you find the buzz of drones overhead unnerving, silent propellers will be fitted
kenny blankenship
Aug 2013
#102